Short answer: To set chess homework for online students, send one link or file with exact instructions, a clear amount and a time window, and keep the first step to a single click. Tie it to the last lesson, tell a parent what is expected, and check it in the first two minutes of the next call.
When you teach in person, homework has help. There is a worksheet on the table, a parent at the door and you in the room when it is handed over. Online, all of that vanishes. Your student closes the video call and the homework becomes one more tab among dozens.
That does not make online students worse at practice. It means the homework has to do more of the work itself. Here is how to set it up so it gets started, finished and noticed.
Why is homework harder to set for online students?
It is harder because the student has to start alone, on a device full of distractions, with nothing physical to remind them. The lesson ends with a click, and the next prompt to practice might be a message sitting unread in an inbox.
Three things tend to go wrong online:
- The instructions arrive in a chat message that scrolls away
- The student needs an account, a password or an app install before they can begin
- Nobody checks, because there is no natural moment to ask
Each of these is fixable, and none of the fixes costs much time. If you want the wider picture first, our complete guide to chess homework for students covers how much to set, what to set and how to check it.
What should an online homework message include?
It should include five things: the task, the amount, the time window, the link and one sentence on why. A message with all five can be read in ten seconds and acted on straight away.
| Part | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Task | The theme and what to do with it | Solve the fork puzzles in this set |
| Amount | A number, not a feeling | Ten puzzles a day, five days |
| Time window | A slot or a deadline | Before dinner, finished by Sunday |
| Link | One link or one attached file | The set, ready to open |
| Why | One line connecting it to the lesson | Today you spotted forks late, so this is the repair |
Here is a made-up example of the whole message: "This week: ten fork puzzles a day, Monday to Friday, before dinner. Link below. Forks are what we worked on today, and you spotted them slowly, so this is the practice that speeds it up. Tell me which one beat you." That is under fifty words and leaves nothing to decide.
How do you make homework easy to start online?
Remove every step between reading the message and solving the first puzzle. Each extra step (create an account, reset a password, find the right folder) loses some students, and the ones you lose are often the youngest.
- Use one link or one file. Two links is already a choice, and choices are where homework dies
- Avoid sign-ups. If a student needs an account, ask yourself whether the account adds anything for them
- Check it works on their device. Try the first lesson of homework on a phone or tablet while they are still on the call
- Offer a paper fallback. A printable version means a flat battery or a shared laptop is never an excuse
- Send it at the end of the call. While you are both still there, share the link in the chat and ask them to open it
That last one is a small habit with a big effect. A student who has already opened the homework while you are watching is far more likely to come back to it.
How much should you set for online students?
Start the same as in person: ten to fifteen minutes a day for most students, less for young beginners. Online students do not need more or less than anyone else. They just need the amount to be visible and finite, so the end is in sight from the start.
If you are unsure where to begin, our guide on how much chess homework to set walks through the numbers. Adjust one thing at a time, and shrink the task before you decide a student is not committed.
Want homework you can send in one click?
Chess Tactics Mastery: Coach Edition is an interactive app that works offline, with printable PDFs for every tactic. No accounts or logins for your students, 25 puzzles a day, one payment of £97 ($130) and unlimited students.
What can you set that works on screen and on paper?
Themed puzzles are the easiest, because they work in any format. But online students can do more than puzzles, and a varied week keeps them interested. Our list of 20 chess homework ideas beyond puzzles has plenty, and a few suit video lessons especially well:
- Record a thinking-out-loud video. The student explains a position in thirty seconds and sends it to you
- Send a photo of a notation sheet. Useful for annotating their own game
- Play a slow game and send one moment. One position, one question, no full analysis
- Teach a family member. A student who explains a tactic to someone else tends to understand it better
Keep the backbone simple: one theme a week or a month, with the other tasks added around it.
How do you check homework between video calls?
Check it in the first two minutes of the next call, and tell the student you will. The knowledge that you will ask is what changes behaviour, far more than any reminder.
A simple routine:
- Ask "which puzzle beat you?" and share your screen on that position
- Ask them to show you their progress screen, a tick sheet or a completion count
- Pick one position from the set and ask them to explain it
You do not need a dashboard for this. Our post on how to check chess homework without a dashboard covers the options in more detail.
Should you send reminders?
Send one, and make it useful. A single message midweek, such as "how are the forks going? Any that stumped you?", works better than a stream of nudges. It invites a reply instead of creating guilt.
If you teach many students, schedule the reminder once rather than writing it each week. If a student has gone quiet for several days, shrink the task instead of sending more messages. A tiny task they finish beats a big one they avoid.
What role do parents play with online students?
A big one for younger students, because the parent is often the person who actually sees your message. Send parents a short note covering what, how long and when. They do not need to know chess, only to know where the child should be sitting and what the goal is.
Ask parents to be nearby at the start, not throughout. Getting going is the hard part, and a parent in the room often solves it. For older students and adults, the student is the audience, so write directly to them.
How does retrieval practice fit online?
It fits well, because puzzles make the student find the answer. Research on test-enhanced learning, including the well-known 2006 study by Roediger and Karpicke, found that people remember what they practice recalling better than what they simply re-read. For online students that means puzzles to solve beat a video to watch or a PDF to read. We unpack this in retrieval practice in chess.
FAQ
How do I send chess homework to online students?
Send one link or one file with the task, the amount and a time window, ideally while you are still on the call. Keep the first step to a single click so there is nothing to set up.
How much homework should online chess students get?
Ten to fifteen minutes a day is a sensible starting point for most students, with less for young beginners. Online students need the same amount as in-person ones, as long as the amount is clear and finite.
Do online chess students need an account to do homework?
Not necessarily. Accounts and passwords add friction, and some students never get past them. Tools that open in one click and work offline remove that barrier, as do printable pages as a fallback.
How do I check homework without a live dashboard?
Ask in the first two minutes of the next call. Have the student show a progress screen or tick sheet, share the puzzle that beat them, or explain one position out loud. Knowing you will ask matters most.
Should online chess homework be printable?
Offering both is a good idea. Paper helps students who get pulled away by notifications, and it works when a device is unavailable. Screens suit students who like instant feedback, so let them choose where possible.
How do I get parents involved in online chess homework?
Send a short note saying what the task is, how long it takes and when to do it. Parents do not need to know chess. Sitting nearby while the child starts is often enough to make it happen.
Where to go next
Read the complete guide to chess homework for students, or see how Chess Tactics Mastery: Coach Edition gives online students a one-click start, no logins and a printable fallback. If you are deciding which tactics to teach first, our guide to how to teach chess tactics is a good companion.
